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Hi, Yeterdays News Journal reported that the Penn Mart Thriftway a former FoodFair located on Route 141 and Us 13 in the City of New Castle will Close next week. (www. delawareonline.com 12/26 edition). This reprsents both the last operating Thriftway inthe stateand at the same time the last FoodFair to be still operating as a supermarket in Delaware.
Sadly, it isn!t closing due to poor volume, It still was one of the highest volume stores in the county,, but because of embezilment .Thriftway was one of the groups sponsored by the now defunct Fleming Foods. At its heyday Thriftway had as many as fifteen stores in the state, including three new build and the rest former A#PS , Food Fairs, and Safeways.

That's really too bad :(

but not surprising.....seems just about anything connected to Food Fair (not the founding father)......Thriftway.....Fleming has the curse of turpitude.

Thanks for sharing... I had wondered what that used to be! Perhaps it was an older Food Fair?

I think there also was an Ames in the shopping center. That store became a National Wholesale Liquidators, but that chain just went out of business. Lots of their signs are still up. I recall hearing something about a newer Kmart around here somewhere that didn't last either.

Ephrata1966 wrote:
I recall hearing something about a newer Kmart around here somewhere that didn't last either.

That would be the one on Centerville Road in Wilmington. Was formerly a Caldor, now it's a Walmart.

Hi,Ijust realized that I was wrong there still is a former Food Fair that is still operating as a supermarket in Delaware, Zingo!s Market located at 714 Maryland Avenue across from Canby Park in Wilmington. Built 1950, the store hasn!t changed much since its Food Fair days with the exception of a new Deli department that is part of and adjacent store front to the original building, New Shelving and paint are about iit.Zingo!s was originaly aThriftway but changed suppliers about 15 years ago to Super Valu

Actually, Grisillo's Thriftway (the one in New Castle) didn't close due to the embezzlement. It closed because Mr. Grisillo wanted to get out of the business. The theft was discovered while they were reviewing the books to close up the business, and for potential buyers.

Yes, the Ames became a NWL. Grisillo's sued, because NWL sold a lot of food, and apparently they had a clause in their lease that would prevent such a retailer from coming in. Unfortunately, they lost.

The Zingo's in Wilmington is an interesting store. I used to service it as a vendor - they had a lot of old stuff in the back room, and some really old stuff upstairs. Zingo's also has a location in Pike Creek. Not sure if it had a previous name before it was Zingo's, but I know they also remodeled this store as well, and built an actual backroom in the back of the store, rather than the narrow alley-like one on the side of the store.

The Kmart in Centreville also used to be a Gaylord's.

Hi,Garry the Zingo!s in Pike Creek was a Colonial A&P.yes Mr Gwanted out of the business( I know the man for over twenty Five years since he managed for Mitch Saffrin) The missing money was only part of the problem. the death of two of his kids,the Food Lion opening down the Road from him, all led him to want to leave the business. He is good man and was verry kind to me.
Thanks Gerry